New Year's Eve is right around the corner, which means it's time to party plan! We can still indulge in the holiday with these 7 better-for-you cocktails. Mix these easy drinks up & get your party started! 

It's the week of Christmas, which means last minute shopping, wrapping, & party planning! With all that excitement, simpler things like breakfast may be forgotten. Here's some simple ideas for a festive, holiday breakfast.

This gingerbread dessert dip is the perfect dish to bring to your next holiday party. It's silky smooth, super festive, & has a secret ingredient that no one will believe! You might want to double the batch because it's so delicious! 

The winter season is often filled with the joy of the holidays, but how do we overcome those mid-season blues? This is where Danish tradition, hygge, comes in. Plus, I have a cozy squash soup to help get you started on how to hygge!

I recently stumbled across a couple blog posts that mentioned hygge & was instantly intrigued.  As I read through these posts & went to my friend Google for more info, I knew this was something I wanted to incorporate into my life & mention here on the blog.

Now, some of you may already know what hygge is (because I’m often behind the times), but for those of you who don’t I’ll describe the tradition & offer some suggestions on how to start including it right now!

Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) is a Danish practice of embracing positivity & enjoying the little things in life. It’s truly a simple concept & not a lifestyle move, but a way of living. There is no direct translation of hygge, but the closest thing we have to it is coziness. Basically, hygge is focusing on joy, togetherness, socializing, & feeling warmth through different activities.

So how can you create hygge? It looks different for everyone, but it’s what brings you happiness & a positive outlook on life.  Here are some suggestions:

• Make your home as comfy as possible
• Find a new, cozy coffee shop to enjoy with a friend
• Curl up by a fire with fuzzy socks & a good book
• Do fun holiday activity with friends/family
• Show people you love them
• Host a low-key dinner party with friends & family
• Dig through old family photos for a good laugh
• Try a new comfort food recipe
• Light candles & enjoy a romantic evening with your significant other without electronics/TV
• Take a walk & enjoy the nature around you
•  Savor the holiday decorations & festive lights around town

Maybe you’re feeling stressed out due to the holiday season, or maybe 2016 was a rocky year for you.  Embracing hygge & adopting it into your life will seriously change it for the better. This tradition works…the Danes aren’t consistently at the top of the World Happiness Report for no reason.  And hygge isn’t something we should do during the colder, more miserable months. This is a practice we should seriously consider all year long. We may not be able to control outside events, but we can control our reactions to them, & that’s what hygge aims to do.

I promised you my new recipe for Honeynut Squash soup, which is the comfort food to kick of your hygge journey! This cozy, flavorful soup is packed with nutrients & just makes me feel happy on the inside! Honeynut squash is a kind of like a baby butternut squash.  It’s half the size, a little deeper in orange color, & sweeter than butternut squash.  You’re in for a treat!

Ingredients:

• 2 honeynut squash, peeled & cubed
• 2 medium apples, peeled & cubed
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• Sprinkle of garlic powder
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Toss squash, apples, sweet potatoes, and onion in a drizzle of olive oil & place on baking sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until vegetables are caramelized. Let cool.
3. Blend pumpkin seeds & a few splashes of your 4 cups of chicken stock in blender until coarsely chopped.
4. Add in roasted vegetables & rest of chicken stock a little at a time. Blend until smooth. (Depending on size of your blender, you may have to work in batches)
5. Transfer blended vegetables to a large saucepan & add in seasonings. Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer.
6. Add in Greek yogurt, stirring until combined.
7. Ladle into bowls & garnish with pumpkin seeds & additional Greek yogurt, if desired.

Makes ~6 cups

References:
time.com | yesandyes.org | darlingmagazine.org